Saint Luke's Gospel and The Acts of the Apostles are the two volumes of a single work that today we should call 'a history of the rise of Christianity'. The two books are inseparably linked by their Prologues and by their style. From the text of Acts it is evident that the author was a Christian of the apostolic age either a thoroughly hellenised Jew or more probably a well educated 'Greek' with a thorough knowledge of the Septuagint and of Jewish culture and traditions. No other name has ever been suggested than that of Luke, the close friend of Paul, who according to an ancient tradition was a Syrian from Antioch, a doctor and a convert from paganism.
Acts is in the form of a single continuos narrative. It begins with the birth and growth of the primitive Christian community in Antioch by hellenist Jews and the conversion of Saint Paul; it goes on to show the spread of the Church outside Palestine through the missionary travels of Paul and ends with his captivity in Rome in A.D. 61-63. The narrative can be seen to be made up of separate episodes of varying lengths, all containing a great deal of circumstantial detail and commonly joined to each other by editorial formulate.
Acts is a principal source for much of our knowledge of life in the earliest Christian communities of the first impact made by Christian faith on pagan nations, of the primitive beginnings of Church organisation of the early developments of Christology, of the personalities of the apostolic age. Luke is, however, not interested in presenting a formal history of the spread of Christianity. What he is interested in is: The spiritual energy inside Christianity that motivates its expansion and the spiritual doctrine that he can show by object lessons with the facts at his disposal.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - (1) Prologue - The ascension - THE JERUSALEM CHURCH - The group of apostles - The election of Matthias - Pentecost - Peter's address to the crowd - The first conversions - The early Christian community - The cure of a lame man - Peter's address to the people - Peter and John before the Sanhedrin - The apostles' prayer under persecution - The early Christian community - The generosity of Barnabas - The fraud of Ananias and Sapphira - The general situation - The apostles' arrest and miraculous deliverance - A summons to appear before the Sanhedrin - Gamaliel's intervention - Chapter 1 to 5 - (2) THE EARLIEST MISSIONS - The institution of the Seven - Stephen's arrest - Stephen's speech - The stoning of Stephen. Saul as persecutor - Philip in Samaria - Simon the magician - Philip baptises a eunuch - The conversion of Saul - Saul's preaching at Damascus - Saul's visit to Jerusalem - A lull - Peter cures a paralytic at Lydda - Peter raises a woman to life at Jaffa - Peter visits a Roman centurion - Peter's address in the house of Cornelius - Baptism of the first pagans - Jerusalem: Peter justifies his conduct - Foundation of the church of Antioch - Barnabas and Saul sent as deputies to Jerusalem - Peter's arrest and miraculous deliverance - The death of the persecutor - Barnabas and Saul return to Antioch - Chapter 6 to 12 -
(3) THE MISSION OF BARNABAS AND PAUL - THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM - The mission sent out - Cyprus: the magician Elymas - They arrive at Antioch in Pisidia - Paul's preaching before the Jews - Paul and Barnabas preach to the pagans - Iconium evangelised - Healing of the cripple - The mission is disrupted - Controversy at Antioch - Controversy at Jerusalem - Peter's speech - James' speech - The apostolic letter - The delegates at Antioch - Chapter 13 to 15 - (4) PAUL'S MISSIONS - Paul separates from Barnabas and recruits Silas - Lycaonia: Paul recruits Timothy - The crossing into Asia Minor - Arrival at Philippi - Imprisonment of Paul and Silas - The miraculous deliverance of Paul and Silas - Thessalonika: difficulties with the Jews - Fresh difficulties at Beroea - Paul in Athens - Paul's speech before the Council of the Areopagus - Foundation of the church of Corinth - The Jew take Paul to court - Return to Antioch and departure for the third journey - Apollos - The disciples of John at Ephesus - Foundation of the church of Ephesus - The Jewish exorcists - Chapter 15 to 19 -
(5) A PRISONER FOR CHRIST - Paul's plans - Ephesus: the silversmiths' riot - Paul leaves Ephesus - Troas: Paul raises a dead man to life - From Troas to Miletus - Farewell to the elders of Ephesus - The journey to Jerusalem - Paul's arrival in Jerusalem - Paul's arrest - Paul's address to the Jews of Jerusalem - Paul the Roman citizen - His appearance before the Sanhedrin - The conspiracy of the Jews against Paul - Paul transferred to Caesarea - The case before Felix - Paul's speech before the Roman governor - Paul's captivity at Caesarea - Paul appeals to Caesar - Paul appears before King Agrippa - Paul's speech before King Agrippa - His hearers' reactions - The departure for Rome - Storm and shipwreck - Waiting in Malta - From Malta to Rome - Paul makes contact with the Roman Jews - Paul's declaration to the Roman Jews - Epilogue - Chapter 19 to 28 -
In summary : A history of the expansion of the early Church and the beginnings of Christianity.
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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